Terror alerts: INLA linked to car bombs left across Belfast

Police forensic experts at the scene of a car bomb explosion in Belfast

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The PSNI are investigating a possible link between three bombs left across Belfast yesterday.

One device went off destroying a car on St James’s Road off the Falls in West Belfast while two others in North and South Belfast failed to detonate.

Last night the INLA was being linked to at least two of the attacks as sources said the two failed devices looked to be of a similar make-up.

Asked at the Policing Board by DUP MLA Jonathan Craig if the bombs were part of a “drugs turf war”, Ass Chief Const Steven Martin admitted there “are similarities between some of these incidents in terms of what the device looks like so we are looking at the potential link and we are keeping an open mind on the motive”.

He said: “We certainly would not be saying anything like this is a potential turf war over drugs but we’re keeping an open mind on the motive and of course, I would appeal for anyone who has any information about any of the three attacks to bring that forward.”

Officer bags item in Friendly Street and a robot disables a device in North Queen Street

The South Belfast alert saw a device apparently attached to the underside of a car at Friendly Street in the Markets district.

It is understood the target is a man from the nearby Short Strand.

In North Belfast a device was found on the pavement in North Queen Street. Police confirmed both were “viable pipe bomb devices”.

Images showed both had a container, with what looked like liquid in it, attached to wires and batteries.

Sources yesterday said they believe the INLA are behind the Friendly Street and North Queen Street incidents.

In St James’s Road, the car bonnet was blown off after a device exploded shortly before midnight on Wednesday. An explosives expert working with a bomb disposal robot was at the scene as anxious neighbours looked on.

However, residents said they were unhappy the road was not sealed off until mid-morning by which time a large number of school children had walked past the exploded car on their way to nearby St Louise’s College. One told Belfast Live: “There was a big bang before midnight and the car was in flames.

“The Fire Brigade came and put the fire out then left. But it was 7.30am before the police arrived and 10.30am before the street was sealed off.

“There were hundreds of people going to school who walked past it.”

Sinn Fein Councillor Mary McConville said many locals had to move to a nearby community centre during the alert.

But she added: “People aren’t happy the street was left wide open and schoolgirls were walking past this.

“It wouldn’t have been allowed to happen anywhere else.”

SDLP's Alban Maginness

The SDLP’s North Belfast MLA Alban Maginness described the foiled attack at North Queen Street as a “senseless attempt to inflict pain and misery”.

He said: “They have forced residents from their homes and caused huge disruption for local commuters.